Aeroplane



l Mardi 3, 1931. l w, p RUDKlN 1,794,923

AEROPLANE Filed Sept. 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 3, 1931. w. P.RUDKIN .1,794,923

AEROPLANE Filed sept. 28, 1929 2 sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 3, 1931 aUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WLLIAM AUL RUDKIN, OF OKLAHOMA CITY,OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALFRED BENJIMAN CLAUSSEN, 0F OKLAHOMACITY, OKLAHOMA AnnorLANE 1 1 `Application led September 28, 1929. SerialNo. 395,831.

This invention relates to an improved form of aeroplane constructionwherein a plurality of motor units are used which are so positioned withrelation to the supportingsurface of the aeroplane, as -will behereinafter described, that sufhcient vertical lift will be produced toobviate the usual preliminary run before take-off is accomplished, whichpreliminary run is so necessary with theusual present day planes. Itis awell'lrnown fact that one of the greatest drawbacks to the field ofaviation is the necessity of having large areas of ground to allow theplanesto take-oil' and to land. The landing speeds of most planes areseldom less than 40 to 50 miles per hour and consequently considerableroom must be available to enable the plane to be gradually brought to astop.

Further, these aeroplane fields have to be so situated as to enable aplane to take-olf or land in any direction, depending on the directionfrom which the wind is blowing, all of which greatly increases theVdiiiiculties of establishing a desirable field or airport.

Y The rapid increase in the use of aeroplanes in transporting mail,passengers, and freight, within recent years, produces a situation whichrequires the airport to be as near the city as possible. As a rule, itis very expensive and exceedingly difficult to create these fields nearthe city because of the necessity of obtaining these large areas ofground which must be level to permitthe landing and takeoff of the largetransport planes. Especially is this true in the eastern part of thiscountry, where the cities themselves are located on the level ground asmuch as possible andthe surroundingterritory is comparatively rough.

For these reasons it is highly desirable to provide an aeroplane whichrequires very little landing and take-off space, To this end, l haveprovided a relatively simple construction for an aeroplane which willtake-od or land substantially vertically.

A further objecst of my invention is to provide a means for maneuveringthe plane by the simple expedient of varying the relative speeds of aplurality of motor units or by shifting the relative positions of themotor units with respect to each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supporting surface forthe plane which is so constructed as to enable the plane to graduallyfloat downwardly, in the event all of the motors become disabled.

A still further object of the invention is to dispose a plurality ofmotorunits so that air will be drawn in towards the center of the planefrom all sides and then be caused to diverge to impinge against theunder side of the supporting surface and also creating a downward streamof air, each of which produces a lifting action on the plane.

\ Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter set forth.

and the novel features thereof defined by the i line `Several figures ofthe drawings.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, l denotes the supporting surface for theaeroplane,being of a concave formation and constructed of any suitablematerial such as that used in `the usual types of `aeroplane wingconstructions. A 'supporting frame 2 is connected to the supportingsurface l and carries at its lower end the fuselage or cabin 3 of anydesired vform and having any suitable landing gear, such as the wheels4, and members 5 connecting the same to the fuselage. A rudder 6 is alsoprovided to assist in stabilizing the plane during flight.

Intermediate the supporting surface and the fuselage or cabin andconnected to the supporting frame are the motor units or propellingunits 7 which may be of any desired type and having the usual type ofpropeller. These mot-or units are preferably located opup the motor onthat side in the direction of.

in surface. l The, streams of air fronfreach propeller converge at thecenter where it is caused to.

Y split into two streams, one of which di# rected vertically upwardagainst the lunder sideof the supporting surface 1, the other airsurrounding atmosphere. Both of these Vair Astreams will exert avertical lift on the aeroplane, thus enabling it to risel from theground without any preliminary run.V Obviously, any number ofninotorsmaybe employed nor do lthey have to be an even 'number as long as theyare arranged radially n with respect to the supporting surface l and'spacedequidistanti Tocause the aeroplane to travel'in ahorizontaldirection after having risen tothe desired altitude, it isonly necessary to speed vwhich it is desired to travel. l The-rudderpermits variations in the direction oftra'vel, although this mightbe-dispensed with andthe speeds of the other motors varied to change fthe direction. l

It will be seen thatthe pl'anefmay benianeuvered in anydirectionv andvthat it can be held practically stationary yin the air by properlycontrolling the speed of theinotors.

Also, if all of the motorsbe'c'oine disabled', the plane will gentlyfloat down in a manner similar to a parachute, owing tothe concaveformationof the supporting surface` 1./ kReferring to the modified formof my invention as shown in Figs. 3 to 5,1 denotes an elongatedsupporting surface which is also concave and from which issuspended thesupporting frame 2', at the lower end of which is connected the cabin orfuselage 3 having a rudder. In this form, the motor units 7aresupportedon a horizontal framework 8 and are arranged in rows onopposite sides thereof.V The motors are preferably carried in a frame 9having vertical pivots 10 rotatably mounted in the brackets 11 sefcuredto the horizontal framework 8. lExtending inwardlyfrom the rear of eachmotor is aftelescopic connection 12 to which a com- ,mon operating rod13 is pivoted. This operating rod is lcontrolled in anyv suitable`manlthe other side, such a position causing the air to be drawninwardly in streams which meet at the center and are caused to divergeinto kan upward vertical stream impinging against appended claims.

to bemaneuvered asin the iirst form of constreain'beingdirecteddownwardly into the..

struction. Angular shifting of the motor units, ,besides varyingthelongitudinal or horizontal pull, also varies the vertical liftingaction, owingto the angle at which the air streams from .each side meetat the center. fSuitable means forcontrolling the speed of the motorsfrom the fuselage,rsuch as for example by the cables 17 in Figsfl and 2and 17 in Figs. 3 tot, may 'be employed. I also V`do not wishto belimited to the particular Hinvention isnct confinedthereto, as changesand alterations may be made without departing from'thesp'irit thereof,as vdefined by the l-lavitg thus described my invention, `what l claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. An aeroplane of the class described coin- Yfprisiiig'a supportingsurface, afuselage conjnectedthereto, opposite/ly disposed lhorizontalmotor units located beneath said supporting surface for I producingvertical streams of air in opposite directions to effect ya. liftingaction, and means for varying the relative .positions of theV said motorunits to prising ay supporting surface, a lfuselage connected thereto,oppositely disposed horizontal motor units located beneathv saidsupporting surface Vfor producing vertical 'streams ofair in oppositedirections toy effect a lifting action, and means for varying therelative positions of thesai'd motornnits to' vary the 'liftingaction,fsaid means being operable from within the fuselage. Y

3. An aeroplane of the class described coni- 'prising a supportingsurface, a fuselage asso- I ciated therewith, a' plurality ofmotor'units intermediate said fuselageV and said supporting surface7Aand means for varying the relaL tive angular positions of saidiinitswith respect to each othenf In testimony whereofl affix my signature.

l/VILLIAM PAUL RUDKIN.

the supporting surface 1, and ay downward stream into the atmosphere asin the form described with respect to Figs. 1 and 2.

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